My Goddess
by Siren6
Summary: The apocolypse is over and the hellmouth closed. Slayer Central is now stationed in Chicago, and one of the S.I.T.'s has a bit of a crush on Faith. Will Faith repeat old patterns, or can the new girl break her of her habit? Warning: Contains F/F content.
1. CrushCrushFaint

My Goddess

Slayers don't blush.

Or they damn well shouldn't, anyway.

And yet here I am, cheeks flushed, and it's all because of the woman that just walked in the door. The other Slayers In Training and I just got back from patrol about five minutes ago. I was busy putting my weapons away when she walked in. Or perhaps 'strutted' is a more appropriate term. She doesn't just 'walk' anywhere. There's always a pronounced swing of her hips, an extra bounce in her step. She exudes sex and confidence, and that goddess of a Slayer held my gaze for a split second before heading to the kitchen.

Which is why I'm now blushing like a school-girl.

All the other S.I.T.'s like to talk behind her back about her promiscuity and other bad habits. She's a slut, or so they say. She drinks too much and gets too caught up in her work. She's a loose cannon, one that Buffy had to put out of comission once. She's totally unpredictable.

And I find her utterly irrisistable.

I hurriedly put my stakes in the weapons locker before walking quickly after her. I wipe my clammy hands on my jeans before shoving them into my pockets, trying to look casual. I find her sitting on the countertop, a Hot Pocket in her hand. I give a small smile and open the fridge, pretending to take stock of its contents.

"Hey, Eve. How'd the patrol go?"

I can hear my heart hammering in my ears. Not only is she speaking to me, but she knows my name. I try to keep the enormous grin off of my face and grab a can of Coke. I close the fridge and lean against the counter across from her. I'm hoping to God that I look relaxed and not like the eager overly-enamoured female that I actually am. "Not bad. How was your night?"

Faith rolls her eyes and takes a large bite of her Hot Pocket before ranting.

"As happy as I am that B's plan worked and we aren't the only slayers anymore, I really don't like the baby-sitting bull. I mean, don't get me wrong, I wanna help you guys out. I really do. But my place isn't in the classroom, you know? I should be out there, fighting the good fight. Instead I'm supposed to go out on patrol and teach the newbies. It's a total waste of my time."

I feel the eager smile slip from my face at her tirade. I suddenly feel like an unwanted guest and a pest, and, like she so aptly put, a complete waste of her time. "I'm sorry," I apologize. "I didn't realize you were so miserable here."

"Aw, hell. C'mon Evey. I didn't mean you."

I look up quickly to find her rubbing her neck and looking embarassed. I offer her a slight smile. I say 'slight' because right now, I couldn't muster a full and sincere one if I wanted to. It sucks when the person you're crushing on basically tells you that they hate having to put up with you.

"Sure you did," I argue. I see her open her lovely mouth to contradict me and I quickly cut her off. "I know that it's nothing against me personally. But from what I hear, you don't like to be cooped up indoors. It's completely understandable. I'm not offended." Okay, I completely lied about the last part, but I don't want her to feel bad.

Faith eyes me for a moment before grinning widely. "So, you heard I don't like to be an indoor-kitten, huh?" I feel my eyes grow large and wonder why in the nine hells she's looking at me like a cat would look at a canary. "Uh, y-yeah," I stammer, my heart hammering away in my chest again.

She slides off of the counter and saunters, yes, _saunters_ toward me. There's a gleam in her eyes, and that sexy swing is back in her hips. She stops right in front of me, and I notice that she's an inch taller than I am. And also that she smells of cinnomen. It's lovely and alluring and...oh Lord, my mouth is actually watering. "Uh..." I try to formulate a word, or even a coherent thought, but I can feel the heat radiating from her body, and I think it's impossible.

"What else have you heard about me?" she asks. I look into her eyes, such a beautiful shade of brown, and then find my gaze slipping down to her lips, full and red. I find myself wondering if her lip-gloss is flavored. And what would her lips taste like without any makeup at all?

_Faith asked you a question, idiot! Answer her!_

"I...I heard that...um..." I'm choking on every word that finds it way into my mouth. Faith is completely aware of her affect on me. I can tell because not only does she lean in closer, but she puts her hands on either side of them and puts her weight on them, holding herself barely an inch away from me. Oh God, her face is so close. Her everything is so close. "Yeah?" she prompts, urging me to answer.

"I heard that you're unpredictable. And wild, and...um...that you used to..." I babble. Faith's face is so close that I swear her lips grazed mine for half a second. "I used to what?" she asks, and I notice that she's looking at my mouth.

"Someone said you used to have a thing for Buffy."

We both freeze and I curse every single cell in my body for what just slipped out of my mouth. Of all the things I could've said, why in the hell did I choose that? I look up into her eyes and notice that not only is that gleam gone, but they're now cold and closed off. Angry, even. I can feel the regret and shame written all over my face and want so badly to either turn back time, or run and hide. Either option would be glorious right now.

"Faith, I'm sor--"

She's across the kitchen in a heartbeat, and I feel the lack of heat immediately. I push myself away from the counter, wanting so badly to drop to my knees and apologize profusely. I can feel the litany of 'I'm sorry's on the tip of my tongue, but Faith senses it and laughs bitterly. "I don't know who your sources are, but they're way off base, shorty. The only 'thing' I ever had for B was bloodlust, which only recently became respect. I'm not into fluff," she says, and looks at me as though to put me in that category, too. I feel my heart clench with hurt and I know she can see it.

"Later, newbie," she says, and then she's gone. I feel the newbie remark like a slap in the face. I know that she just lumped me in with the group she had said that I wasn't a part of earlier; that I'm now one of the girls that are a waste of her time. I lean against the counter again, feeling deflated and miserable.

"Fucking brilliant, Eve," I mutter to myself.

An hour later I'm in my bedroom, the one that I share with another Trainee, Olivia. I've been lying on my bed, going over every bit of the conversation with Faith in my mind. And every time I come to my fuck-up, I feel like a complete idiot all over again. How could I be so stupid? Faith was full-on flirting with me, and I had to be an idiot!

"Eve?"

I look to the door and see it open. Olivia steps inside the room and turns on the light, temporarily blinding me. She's frowning and looks concerned. Shit.

"Are you going to just lay here in the dark all night? It's still early."

Is it? I look at the clock to see it read 9:38P.M. Oh. It is.

"Um...yes?"

Olivia crosses her arms over her chest before walking over to my closet and sliding open the door. I sit up on my bed, feeling uneasy at the sight of her rummaging through my clothes. "What are you doing?" I ask. She tosses me a pair of black jeans and a dark blue shirt. It's a tank-top, low-cut and tight. I had bought it as a joke.

"Once again, I must ask, what are you doing?"

Olivia walks over to her own closet and begins perusing for an outfit to wear. "Well, it's early. And I don't know about you, but I have some excess energy to work off. Jack is out of town, so, I'm thinking we try Southtown," she explains. We were told before that sometimes, after patrol, we'd have excess adrenaline to work off. Some of the girls used their significant others (and trust me, listening to the sexcapades of a dorm full of girls can get a bit annoying when you have none of your own to tell), or some dance it off. Since Olivia's boyfriend is out of town visiting his parents, she wants to opt for the latter.

I pick at the fabric of the shirt disdainfully. "I don't know if I feel like dancing," I mutter. Olivia's answer is delivered so quickly that I wonder if she was expecting me to fight her. "Faith is going," she says.

I look up quickly, eyes wide. "Really?" I ask. She nods, choosing a short dress and a pair of knee-high boots. Jack would throw a fit if he knew she was going to go clubbing dressed like that.

"Yup. And since I know you love dancing, and she loves dancing, and you're going to be looking irresistable in that little number, I figure you two could work off your energy on the dancefloor together," she says in a rush. I look at the outfit she chose for me and try to imagine it; dancing with Faith Lehane. I've seen her dance before, and it's really a sight to see. She moves with utter abandon.

"I really don't think she'd want to dance with me tonight. I'm not her type," I say, and remember the end of our conversation again. Olivia snorts from her closet. "Since when did she have a type?" she mocks. I feel indignation on Faith's part and start to argue when Olivia beats me to it. "Besides, what could it hurt? If she doesn't wanna dance with you, then there are plenty of other people who will."

I look up again to see that she's changed into her short red dress and is zipping up her boots. "Now, get dressed, woman," she commands with a smile. It must be contagious because I can feel myself smiling, too. "Yes ma'am," I say.

I'm regretting this immensely.

The jeans are a bit low on my hips, and the shirt rides up high and is cut low enough to make me want a sweat-shirt. Olivia insisted on dressing me up from head-to-toe. My black hair, short to begin with, is now choppy and a bit messy. She made my eyes smokey and my lips are covered with clear gloss. She believes I look hot. I believe that I look slutty and I feel really, really uncomfortable, and tell her as much.

She rolls her eyes at me. "Oh God, Eve, get over it. Listen, we're slayers. We're hot chicks with super-powers. Get used to it," she scolds. I try to take her advice as we walk into the club.

It's packed. The dancefloor is full of bodies pressed against one another, grinding, with colored lights dancing on them. I can feel the bass in my bones as the techno and rock blast through the speakers. Olivia leads me to the bar where she orders us both shots of Petrone. I happen to hate tequila. She knows this, but insists that I do the shot anyway. "To loosen up!" she explains before we both do them.

It burns all the way down, but she's right. I do feel a bit of my anxiety slip away. She orders another round and I feel a protest start to rise in my throat before I silence it. I had a crappy day. I'm not one to get drunk, but what could a few drinks hurt? With slayer metabolism I'll probably only get a buzz at best. Tipsy at worst, right?

A few shots later, the dancefloor is starting to look very appealing. Olivia was right; I do feel my body burning with the excess adrenaline. Dancing was probably a great idea. It's better than fucking some stranger, or, even more pathetically, myself. Olivia makes me do one more shot, and then drags me to the dance floor. We weave our way through the bodies and make our way to the center.

It's like being caught in a violent rip-tide. I can feel the energy rolling off of the people around us in waves, soaking through my skin and into my blood. I close my eyes as the music washes over me and get lost in it. When I open my eyes, my arms are above my head, one of Olivia's hands in my own, and we're cutting loose like never before.

Our bodies are moving in a way that can only be termed as utterly erotic. Our hips are rolling, our chests heaving, bodies twisting and undulating to the beat. It feels incredible. I try to focus on what I'm dancing to. It sounds like a remix of Linkin Park and Paramore. I've heard Olivia listen to it before but never really paid much attention to it.

_Nothing compares to a quiet evening alone.  
Just the one two of us were counting on._

_That never happens, I guess I'm dreaming again.  
Let's be more than this._

I watch Olivia throw her head back and notice the way her skin glistens in the colored lights. I'm about to tug her closer to me when I notice someone behind her. Faith is grinding against a guy--a frat boy, it looks like--but she's eyeing me regardless. It's hard to read her. Partly because I'm fairly intoxicated, and also because she's hard to read in general. She twists so that she's facing me, and I see the man's arm wrapped around her waist as he grinds against her ass.

I feel a flash of anger, and hurt, but push it away. I'm here to enjoy myself, not get caught up in before. I tug Olivia closer to me, so that we're flush against one another, and close my eyes. I lose myself in the feel of her soft body against mine. She wraps an arm around my neck and nudges a leg in-between my own, grinding against my hip. I reach down and lift her leg onto my hip before rolling my hips against hers.

_I am a little bit of loneliness, a little bit of disregard.__A handful of complaints, but I can't help the fact that everyone can see these scars.  
I am what I want you to want, what I want you to feel.  
But it's like no matter what I do, I can't convince you to just believe this is real._

I open my eyes to find Faith staring at me. I turn Olivia and I so that I'm facing away from Faith, but I can feel her eyes burning into my back. Oh well. She didn't want to accept my apology, or even hear it. Hell, I doubt she even knew I existed until today. Why would she care if my roommate and I were getting hot and heavy on the dancefloor?

_So I let go, watching you  
Turn your back like you always away and pretend that I'm not,  
But I'll be here 'cause you're all that I've got._

I feel Olivia's hands wander lower and grab my ass. I arch into her and feel her breathing heavily in against my neck. I wrap my arm around her and hold her against me tightly as we both get lost in whatever is happening between us at the moment. In the back of my mind I know that she's my good friend, and that she's involved with someone, but the rest of me doesn't care. She insisted on 'dancing off the energy' and the tequila. Hell, maybe she planned this for all I know. And I don't really care. I just care about the fact that her fingers are tugging on my hair so that I look at her beautiful eyes are half-lidded, her lips pouty. She's drunk, there's no doubt about that. "Kiss me," she says, and laughs loudly. I want to. God, I want to. But my conscience forbids it. I can't take advantage of her when she's drunk. Instead, I kiss her forehead and spin her away from me before pulling her in close again. She shrieks with delight and I feel relieved. For a second I thought she'd be mad at me. We turn so that I'm facing Faith again. The other slayer looks amused, and that gleam is back in her eyes. I feel angry, watching her watching me. What gives her the right?

_I can't faint the way I did before.  
Don't turn your back on me.  
I won't be ignored.  
Time won't change this damage anymore.  
Don't turn your back on me.  
I won't be ignored._

I watch as she turns in the guy's arms so that she's facing him, and she pulls his face close to hers. I feel my stomach churn and want to look away, but I can't. Just as they're about to kiss, she pulls away and throws both of her hands in the air above her. The guy looks absolutely enthralled with her as she twists and rocks in front of him.

I see her shirt ride up and notice the beginning of a scar on her abdomen. I feel a hint of concern, but thankfully, inebriated anger, hurt, and jealousy chase that annoying emotion away. Why should I care if she was ever hurt? She's a bitch, plain and simple. Everything everyone ever said about her was right. Besides, for the last time, I'm here with my friend. I see Olivia notice Faith and a smile spreads across her face.

_If you wanna play it like a game,  
Then come on, come on, let's play.  
'Cause I'd rather waste my life pretending than have to forget you for one whole minute.  
They taped over your mouth, scribbled out the truth with their lies,  
Your little spies._

Olivia rubs herself against me and winks at Faith as she does it. What the hell is she doing? I see a mixture of annoyance and amusement grace the other slayer's features. I try to pull Olivia further into the crowd, away from Faith, but the girl won't let me. Why does she have to be so difficult?

"Remember our mission?" Olivia slurs into my ear. I shake my head in protest, but she wraps her arms around my neck again. "C'mon Eve, fuckin' grow a pair," she growls before shoving me backwards.

_Nothing compares to a quiet evening alone.  
Just the one two of us were counting on.  
That never happens, I guess I'm dreaming again.  
Let's be more than this now!_

I grunt as the body behind me stops me and turn to see that it's Faith. I swallow an apology and stare for a moment, frozen with fear and surprise and totally unsure of what to do. She takes the lead by grabbing my hips and pulling me against her to dance.

I lost all coherent thoughts at that moment. All I know is that Faith is dancing with me. Faith Lehane is dancing with me. I wrap an arm around her neck as I quickly find the rhythm and fall into it with her. Her body is incredibly firm, yet soft. I can feel the power rolling off of her. She feels so incredibly raw. I know that even though I have the blood of the slayer in me, she can easily take me in a fight, and not just because I'm ga-ga for her. And yet, even knowing that she can snap me like a twig, she holds me to her in a way that's firm, but gentle.

Who would've thought that grinding against Faith in a nightclub would be the time that I've felt most safe in my whole life? And yet, it's true. I feel so safe at that moment. I feel invincible. I raise my free hand above my head before letting it fall to her hip. I can feel the muscles underneath her soft skin and feel myself become more aroused than I was before, if that's possible.

_No, hear me out now!  
(Rock and roll, honey, don't you know that)  
You're gonna listen to me, like it or not, right now!  
(We're all alone now, I need something to sing about.)_

I feel Faith's hand trail down my back, then up my side and to my hand. My skin is on fire where she touches me. As cliche as it sounds, it's true. She takes my hand off of her hip and into her own and grips it tightly.

We both move apart from each other, hands raised, and absolutely let go. There is nothing better than this. I can't imagine a single thing more intense than this moment.

_Rock and roll honey, don't you know that  
We're all alone now, I need something to sing about._

I feel a sudden need come over me, and my face flushes. I don't know if it's the intensity of the moment, or the tequila, or sexual frustration, whatever, but I need her. I need to feel her like I've never needed anything else in my life. As if she senses it, she opens her eyes, those dark, obsidian eyes, and seems to recognize the look on my face.

_Rock and roll honey, don't you know that  
(I won't be ignored!)  
We're all alone now, give me something to sing about!_

She reaches out, grabs the back of my head, and crushes her lips against mine, and I know in that moment that I'm lost to this woman.

_Nothing compares to a quiet evening alone.  
(I can't faint the way I did before.)  
Just the one two of us was counting on.  
(Don't turn your back on me, I won't be ignored.)  
That never happens, I guess I'm dreaming again.  
(Time won't change this damage anymore.)  
Let's be more than...  
(Don't turn your back on me)  
More than this.  
(I won't be ignored!)_

_To Be Continued._

_Song is "CrushCrushFaint" by Unforgetable Sound_


	2. The Gift

My Goddess

Chapter Two

The Gift

I curse every deity I know when I open my eyes. The nausea is one thing. I can bear that. Hell I could even bear the aching in my body. What I can't bear, however is the pounding in my head, coupled with the confusion and hurt from the night before.

Everything had been going, well...oh hell, at least things were going somewhere. Olivia had taken me out to the local club, _Southside_, for some post-patrol dancing. We were having a blast, and then... And, well, then Faith showed up and things got kind of crazy. I don't know if we were competing with each other or just got caught up in the moment, but I swear that each of us was doing everything that we could to make the other jealous. The dance floor had become a battle-ground.

And then my dear friend, Olivia, caught on to the little game between the two of us and decided to put a stop to it by forcing me and Faith to dance. And that was... It was incredible. There's no better description than that. It was intense and erotic and powerful and, and I don't know how it happened, but before I knew it, she was kissing me. And God help me, I was kissing her back with everything I had. I couldn't help myself. She was utterly unatainable, forbidden, even, but I had her and I wasn't going to let her go.

Until she pushed me away, gave me this weird look for half-a-second, then gave me one of the trademark Lehane grins and disappeared.

To say I felt confused and rejected would be a gross understatement.

I left the club after that and managed to stumble back to the dorm, which is where I am now, crippled with a hangover. I sit up and look over at Olivia's bed to see her sprawled across it, little red dress hiked up and her hair mussed. Her makeup is smeared and she has one boot on. She looks how I feel.

I throw back the covers, pull myself to my feet and stagger to the closet. I grab some sweats and a t-shirt as well as my toiletries and drag myself across the hall to the bathroom. There are other slayers already there, getting ready for classes. One of the younger girls, Tina, smirks at the sight of me.

"Morning, Eve. Way to dyke up the dancefloor last night," she sneers.

I feel a familiar mix of anger and shame at the term 'dyke', but brush it off. She's ignorant. If anything, she should be pitied. "Good morning to you too, Tina. Nice to see that you're still a bitch," I mutter and disappear into one of the shower stalls. I strip and step in, turning the hot water on full-blast. I gasp at the sensation before relaxing into the heat. I lean against the wall and let the hot water sooth the knots in my shoulders and back for a few minutes before grabbing the shampoo and washing my hair.

After rinsing, I grab my body wash and a washcloth and set to work. There are a few bruises on my calf, but most of the damage from the patrol last night is on my abdomen. I have to remember to guard my torso better. I'm pretty quick and capable on the field, but the moment I get distracted, I'm easy prey. I bite my lip as I wash a cut on my side. I had forgotten to clean it last night. I hiss as I manage to get the dirt out, and clean it. The area around the cut is red and angry looking, and I mentally remind myself to get it looked at after classes.

Once I'm done showering I dry myself off, get changed, and head down to the cafeteria for breakfast. The cafeteria is always packed. For some reason, Slayers have a ridiculous appetite. I think it has something to do with our metabolism. I grab a tray and load it up with eggs, bacon, toast and grab a cup of juice before sitting down next to a few girls that I know from my defensive-tactics class. One of them looks at me for a moment before snickering. Something tells me that today is going to be one of those days where I probably shouldn't have crawled out of bed.

"Something funny?" I ask, knowing I'm probably the cause of her amusement. She looks at her friends for a moment before answering. "So...you're Lehane's latest notch on the bedpost?" she asks, and her friends start to giggle. I glare at her before taking a bite of scrambled egg. "I don't know what you're talking about," I mutter. The girl cocks an eyebrow. "So, you weren't caught in a total lip-lock with Faith last night?"

Exactly how many of the girls were at the club last night? In all of Chicago, we all had to go to the same one? I open my mouth to answer her, but one of her friends cuts me off. "You know it's against the rules, right? Teachers and students can't fraternize." I frown before tearing into my toast. I hadn't thought about that. "Oh please. I've seen you chilling with Mr. Harris," I remind her. She waves me off. "Not in the hip-rockin' way," she argues.

"Well, nothing happened," I tell them. The first girl looks behind me and smiles. I turn to see Faith walk in, looking great. Apparently she's not hung-over. Lucky. I watch her grab a tray and load up. She doesn't look in my direction and I can't decide whether to feel relieved or insulted.

"Not that I blame you," the first girl is saying. "She's totally hot, if you're into that kind of thing. Which, judging by the way your jaw is now on the floor, I'm guessing you are."

I push the food around on my plate and take a sip of my drink. I don't know what to say. 'Hell yes, I'm into her. And the energy I felt with her last night was incredible!' Yeah. Doubtful. "Just be careful," the girl says, eyeing Faith. "She's not one for fuzzy-feelings. She's more the 'use 'em and lose 'em' type. I don't think you can be around her and not get hurt, really." Thankfully, that seems to end the discussion, and they move on to another topic.

Faith walks past my table and doesn't even bother to look at me. She sits down with the rest of the faculty, either ignorning me or totally oblivious to me. I look down at my breakfast, suddenly finding myself without an appetite. I push the tray away and stand up. "See you in class," I say, and leave.

Ms. Rosenburg's magicks class went by agonizingly slow. It's not that I dislike the class. I happen to love it, actually. But when your head and heart feel like they're splitting in two, it's kind of hard to concentrate. I consider skipping the rest of the classes altogether, but the next one is my Defensive Tactics class, the one that Faith teaches. Curiosity and a sense of masochism compel me to attend it.

I walk in and sit down on the gym floor next to Olivia. She still looks pretty exhausted, and I'm amazed that she got up at all.

"Hey," I greet. Olivia cringes at the sound of my voice and looks up wearily. "Don't shout," she growls. I smile warmly and rub her back. She groans miserably, but doesn't shove me away. That's a good start.

"Good morning."

We look up to see Faith enter, decked out in sweats and a wife-beater. Her sneakers squeak on the floor and I see Olivia give her a dirty look. Faith smirks at Olivia's disheveled look as she cracks her knuckles. "Or, good morning to some of us, anyway." She surveys the class, purposefully skipping over me before beginning the lesson.

"I've been watching some of you on patrol, and I notice that we've gotta work on some things. Mainly, focusing on not letting our guard down and our speed. A lot of you depend on being technical with your responses. That's great, if you wanna impress the Council. They love that shit. But, on the battlefield, that'll get you killed."

She motions for one of the girls to stand up. "Now, I'm gonna come at you. Just block me how you normally would," she instructs. The girl nods and falls into her defensive stance, feet spread, fists raised. Faith lashes out at her, swinging at her face. The girl blocks it easily. Faith nods. "Good. Again," she says. This time she makes to swing a punch, but instead drops to the ground and sweeps the girls legs out from under her.

The girl hits the floor with a grunt of pain, and Faith nods again. "Okay. Here's the problem. Not all of your enemies are going to be predictible. Some of them are gonna surprise you. But you can't think back to the lessons I'm teaching and try to remember what block will save you. You have something way better than me."

She helps the girl up and turns to face the class. "You have your instincts. And nine times out of ten, they'll save you every time. The only thing I can do is fine-tune them." She turns to the girl and nods. The girl gets into her defensive stance again. "Alright, this time don't think. Just react," she says.

She lashes out at the girl again, this time bringing her leg up to kick her in the chest. The girl reacts quickly, catching her foot and throwing her back. Faith stumbles a moment, but stays on her feet.

"Excellent. How did you block me?" she asks. The girl relaxes before answering. "I don't know. I just...well, I just did what you said. I reacted. It's like I knew what to do." Faith nods. "Exactly. You girls forget that you already have centuries of knowledge in your blood. Every time a new slayer is activated, she unlocks that knowledge. We were born to be killers and your body knows that on some level. So stop thinking so much when you're out there. Always be aware, but don't analyze every single movement."

I nod, taking it in. I wonder if that's what last night was. We weren't thinking at all, just reacting. In that case, the kiss probably meant nothing to her. Faith motions for the girl to go back to the group and looks at all of us again. "Now, split up into pairs and start sparring. I'll be coming around to see how each of you are doing."

Olivia and I pair up and I slip into my defensive stance. She gives a heavy sigh before doing the same, and I catch her muttering, "this fucking blows." I snicker and shrug. "Could be worse. We're being asked to not think. How would you feel if we were asked to do the opposite?" I offer. Olivia mimics my shrug. "True," she agrees. After a moment I go at her, quickly looking for a weakness in her defense. I grunt as her foot connects with my side. Damn, even hung-over, Olivia's pretty strong.

"Quit thinking, Eve!" Olivia reminds me, giving me a moment to recover. I nod to myself and try to clear my mind. _Stop analyzing everything and just do it. _

I go at her again, this time doing what feels natural. I don't land any hard blows, but neither does she. To an outsider our moves would be a blur. The adrenaline starts to kick in, and it's like time starts to slow down. I can see her right arm tensing, and my body reacts immediately, blocking the incoming punch, and I deliver one of my own to the side of her head. I hear the loud _crack _of my fist connecting with her skull and she staggers to the side.

"Fuck, Eve! I had a bad enough headache to begin with!"

I snap out of it and immediately feel a wave of guilt wash over me. "Oh, God, Olivia, I'm so sorry! Are you---" I shriek as my feet are swept out from under me, and I find myself staring at the cieling through the stars.

"Uh...Eve?"

Olivia's face takes up the space I'm looking at and I blink a few times. She looks worried and a bit apologetic. "Are you okay?" she asks.

"Hart, what happened?"

Olivia's face disappears and is replaced with Faith's concerned one. If this is due to a concussion, I'd gladly whack my head on the hard floor again.

"We were sparring and I tripped her, and she kinda knocked her head," Olivia explains in a rush.

I see Faith cock an eyebrow before her face disappears from my vision. "She's just stunned. She'll be fine. Vincent, get up," she orders. Well, nice to know we went from a first-name basis to last-name. I take a deep breath before sitting up slowly. I make it to my feet and see Faith standing in front of me, hands on her hips.

"You let your guard down," she accuses. I open my mouth to speak and she cuts me off angrily. "If you were up against a vamp instead of your friend, you'd be dead right now. Or worse. You've gotta focus," she scolds. "You're lucky that a bump on the head is all you got for that. Sometimes slayers get caught up in the moment. You don't wanna get hurt," she growls and holds my gaze for a moment. She turns to the rest of the class. "And that goes for all of you. Keep your focus. Now, keep going."

She gives me another look before continuing to check on the other groups. I feel my face flush with humiliation and turn to see a sheepish-looking Olivia. "Sorry," she says weakly. I don't reply and fall into my defensive stance instead. We begin to spar again, and this time I keep my focus. I push all thoughts of Faith out of my mind and let instinct take over. We match each other, move for move. I see her drop to attempt to sweep my legs out from under me again, and I leap up instead, and bring my fists down on her back. She drops to her knees from the force of it and I deliver another kick to her stomach. She flips onto her back and brings her arms up to protect herself from any more of my blows.

I back off and reach down to help her up. "Damn," she wheezes. "Remind me not to trip you again." I smile as she takes my hand and I pull her to her feet. "Well, remind me not to be dumb enough to let my guard down," I reply.

The rest of the class went smoothly. Faith didn't come back to me and Olivia again. Either we were doing fine, or she was avoiding me. After being reprimanded in front of everyone, I really didn't care. At the end, all of us were sitting on the floor, sweaty but pumped. It's one thing to go against a vampire. Part of you knows that you'll beat him. But to go against someone who's your equal? That's a challenge.

Faith looks at us approvingly. "Alright. There was some definite improvement here today. Hit the showers, take a break, and then head to your next class. Class dismissed."

We stand to leave and I see Faith walk over to a gym bag near the wall to get a bottle of water. I don't know whether I should stay and talk to her or leave. I take a deep breath and walk over to her. I stop behind her and clear my throat. She takes a swig from the bottle and looks at me appraisingly. "You need somethin'?" she asks.

_You're damn right I need something. I need to know what the hell happened last night, and why you're being such a bitch this morning. _"I wanted to, um," I stammer, my mind going blank. I hadn't really thought of what I was going to say. And what I wanted to ask was out of line. I think. "I wanted to know..."

"Look, Ms. Vincent, what happened last night was a mistake."

I feel my mouth go dry as she cuts me off. "A mistake," I repeat. Faith nods, her face nuetral. "Yeah. We were both a bit tipsy and with the dancing and everything...well, it got a little out of hand. I was out of line, and I apologize for that. It won't happen again."

I feel my pulse begin to quicken. "What do you mean? You weren't out of line," I begin to argue. She raises a hand to silence me. "I'm a teacher. You're my student. It was completely inappropriate."

I struggle to form a better argument. "I'm twenty-two. It's not like it's against the law," I say. She smirks and tosses her water back into her gym bag. "No, it's not. But it's against school policy," she reminds me. "And while I may not be the best teacher in the world, I like having a job at the end of the day. Beats stealing from vamps and living in a shitty motel," she says, and I see her lose focus for a moment as her mind wanders.

She blinks and shakes her head before continuing. "So, yeah. Like I said, I'm sorry about that. Just forget about it, okay?"

Forget about it? How the hell am I supposed to forget about it? "So, last night meant nothing to you?" I press. Faith bends down to zip up the gym bag. "Nope. Sorry," she says, and slings the bag over her shoulder. "You're going to be late for your next class," she warns, and leaves the gym. I can't help but stare.

I skip my next class and head over to the infirmary instead, to get my cut looked at. Mr. Giles is not only the Dean, but also doubles as the doctor for the school. I've heard it said that he bandaged Buffy up enough times to practically earn an M.D. I knock on the door and step inside. He looks up from his paperwork and smiles warmly. "Ah, Ms. Vincent. What can I do for you?" he asks.

A lot of the girls here think that Mr. Giles is really up-tight and a bit of a dork, but I find him to be comforting. I sit down in the chair in front of him. "I need you to look at a cut for me. I think it's starting to get infected," I explain. His face clouds with concern and he stands up, motioning to the door behind him.

I follow him inside and sit down on the examination table. He puts on a pair of latex gloves and takes out some supplies. "Where were you hurt and how did it happen?" he asks. I lift my shirt up, exposing the cut on my side. "I was patrolling with my group last night. I got a little distracted, and the vamp whipped out a knife," I say, and wince as he begins to examine it.

"Was it magical in nature?" he asks, and looks at me. I shake my head. "Nope. Just a regular pocket-knife," I assure him. He nods and turns around to grab a cotton ball and some chemicals. "I'm going to disinfect it, then bandage it. It should be fine in a day or so. Just don't do anything strenuous," he says, and begins to clean the wound thoroughly.

"So, don't take Ms. Lehane's class tomorrow?" I ask. He pauses his work for a moment. "That would be wise," he says, and starts to bandage me up. He's done within a few moments. "Why didn't you clean this properly when you got back?" he asks, although I think he already knows the answer. Does everyone know about what happened at the club?

"I got a bit distracted," I say, feeling wary. I don't want to get Faith in trouble. Like she said, it's against school policy. Mr. Giles looks at me skeptically, and I know for certain now that he knows. "Yes, well, do be more careful next time," he says, and I swear I see a twinkle of humor in his eyes. I nod and adjust my shirt. "You got it," I say, and push myself off of the table.

I decide after getting patched up that it would probably be best to just skip the rest of my classes today and just go to bed. I don't want to attract anymore attention to myself. I unlock the door and step into my room, locking it behind me. I close the blinds and collapse onto my bed, letting out a groan before burrowing under the covers. Today is a day that I'd really like to forget.

When I wake up, it's dark outside. I sit up and turn on the lamp on my nightstand and find that I have to blink a few times to make sure that I'm seeing clearly.

On my nightstand is a picnic basket. I pick it up and open it to find some junk-food and fruit. An odd combination. I wonder who the hell could manage to get into my locked room, and then notice a tag on the side.

_Eve-_There it is. Physical proof that at least some tiny part of her cares. I pick up a peach and bite into it, savoring the flavor.

I find that junk-food, mixed with something organic and sweet does wonders for stab wounds.

Take care.

-F.L.

I couldn't keep the smile from my face if I tried.


	3. Surrender

My Goddess

Chapter Three

A/N: Oh my gods, writer's block is a bitch! Gah! Anyway, enjoy! Also, the chapter after this is going to contain some very adult content. Just warning you ahead of time.

"There is no better loss than to lose myself in you.  
Surrender somehow becomes so beautiful."  
- 'Control' by Mute Math

I wound up hiding the gift from Olivia. I know that I can trust her with pretty much everything, but I took Faith's warning to heart. Her and I interacting in anything other than a student-teacher relationship was against policy. I couldn't endanger her.

I did, however, eat every bit of food in that basket, and saved the note. It was the only shred of proof that I had that Faith cared. And, a few days later, when my wound had scabbed over and was healing nicely, Mr. Giles gave me the go-ahead to join her class again.

To say that I'm excited is an understatement. For the first time, I'm actually unsure of what to wear to her class. I feel like a love-sick school girl getting ready for a date. And I know, with perfect clarity, that the kind gesture doesn't necessarily mean that she has feelings for me. But with the chemistry in the kitchen and on the dance floor, I know there's something between us. I just have to get her to admit it, too.

I finally decide on a black tank top and grey sweat pants. I really don't have much of anything to choose from. Olivia has an entire wardrobe devoted to working out. At least she's prepared.

After I make sure that my wound is bandaged tightly, I make my way to class. Olivia brightens at the sight of me and makes room next to her. I sit down and accept her warm embrace happily.

"Damn, Evey, it's been way too long. You've been holed up in that room forever!"

I grin and shrug. "I needed some down-time," I say. A moment later Faith strolls into the room, gym bag slung over her shoulder. She deposits it near the door, removes a volley ball from it and turns to the class. Her eyes fall on me, and I swear that I see a small smile tug at the corners of her mouth.

"Nice to see you back in class, Ms. Vincent," she says, and nods to me. I nod back, grinning brightly. She turns her attention back to the class as a whole. "When we're in battle, the number one sense we seem to rely on, is sight. We see the enemy. We look for weaknesses in their defenses. We look for tools we can use. We look for threats. But there will be some battles where sight is not a sense we can rely on. Today, we're going to work on utilizing all of our senses."

She pulls a blindfold out of her back pocket and motions for me to stand. "Ms. Vincent, since you've been absent from this class for a few days, why don't you help me teach this one," she says. I quickly make my way to her side, trying desperately to keep the eager smile from my face. I look back at the class and see Olivia give me a quick thumbs-up.

Faith turns her attention to me, and I'm relieved to see a bit of warmth in her eyes. "I'm going to blindfold you. Do you trust me?" she asks, holding the fabric up. I swallow a bit nervously before meeting her gaze again.

"Yes."

Faith smiles a small, genuine smile, and I feel warm all over. I smile back and she covers my eyes with the fabric, tying it behind my head. "You'll do fine, trust me," she whispers before stepping back. The loss of her heat is something I feel immediately.

Without my ability to see, I start to reach out with my other senses to find her. I can hear her sneakers squeak as she steps away. I hear the other students shifting from their seats on the floor.

"Okay. I'm going to throw the ball at you. Try your best to block it. Use your other senses. Use your sense of hearing, touch, smell, everything and anything. Like the last class you were in, use your instincts."

I do as she says and shut down my conscious mind. I can feel my skin tingle with anticipation. Although I see nothing, I know where she is. I can hear her breathing and moving. I can smell the cinnomen scent of her skin. And then I hear the sound of the ball cutting through the air and I lift my hands quickly. I feel the ball come in contact with my hands and hold onto it tightly.

"Excellent! Now, hit me," she instructs. I lift the ball in one hand and concentrate. She's moved since she said that. Moving targets are more difficult, and it takes a lot of focus to track her down. She's faster than the S.I.T.'s, and her movements sound very soft.

I feel a flash of recognition and throw the ball to my right. I hear Faith catch it and remove my blindfold to see her holding it and smiling approvingly. "Excellent. Nice to know that your instincts stayed sharp," she says. I melt at the look of pride in her eyes.

"Alright class. Pair up, spread out, and practice what you just saw," she says, and goes to the utility closet to get more balls. Olivia runs over to me, grinning widely.

"So I see you two have made up," she observes, looking over at Faith. I wring the fabric in my hands thoughtfully. "I guess. I don't know," I shrug. Faith hands out volleyballs and basketballs to the other students, then comes over to Olivia and I. She hands Olivia a basketball and nods to me. "You did good today. Do you need a break, or is that wound holding up?" she asks.

I press a hand to my bandage and am relieved to feel only a little bit of pain. "I think it's doing good. Must be all that healthy food I've been eating," I say with a grin. Faith laughs lightly before walking on to the next group. Olivia cocks an eyebrow and studies me suspiciously. "Am I missing something?" she asks. I shake my head and tie the fabric around my head again. "Not a thing," I assure her.

Olivia's instincts, as it turns out, are fantastic. I couldn't hit her with the ball once. She caught it every time and was just as fast to peg me with it. The exercise was a fun one, and just when it started to become an all-out war between the blind and the able, the class ended. The other girls milled out of the room to go take showers and get ready for their next class, but I decide to linger behind.

As soon as I'm sure that everyone is out of the gym, I approach her. Faith is putting the equipment away in the utility closet. I clear my throat to make my presence known. She puts the last ball on the rack before turning to look at me.

"Hey. You okay?" she asks. I nod and suddenly wish I had pockets to put my hands in. I don't know what to do with them and I feel nervous.

"Yeah. Feeling great, actually. Thanks for the gift," I say lamely. Faith smirks and shrugs. "No problem," she says, and crosses her arms over her chest. "So, how did you know what would make me feel better?" I ask. She smiles a bit bitterly and lifts her shirt a bit to show a faint white scar on her toned stomach. "I've been there myself," she says, and lets the shirt drop back down into place.

I frown. I want to ask her how she got the scar, but I don't feel comfortable enough to do it. I open my mouth to say something, anything, when another voice interrupts me.

"Ladies, I'm quite sorry to interrupt, but I need to speak with Professor Lehane privately."

I turn to see Mr. Giles standing behind me, looking grim. I feel my heart freeze and wonder if it's because of me. He must see the worry written on my face, because his own relaxes into a comforting smile. "How are you feeling, Eve?" he asks. I try my best to smile and pat at the bandaging on my stomach. "Better," I assure him. He nods.

"Good. Ms. Lehane, if you please?"

I turn back to Faith. The humor has left her eyes and she nods. She turns her attention to me and offers a half-hearted grin. "See you in class, E," she says and follows Mr. Giles out of the gym.

Ms. Ronsenburg wasn't in her class. I also noticed that our history professor, Ms. Summers (Dawn Summers, I mean) wasn't available either. Most of the core faculty, it seems, have gone to the meeting with Mr. Giles.

When classes let out, I went to the cafeteria to find Olivia. If there was anyone who knew good gossip, it was my best friend. I found her sitting at a table with her boyfriend, Jack. Apparently he'd returned from his vacation with his family.

I'm not feeling very hungry today, so I sit down across from them and smile widely at Jack's predicament. It seems Olivia's hormones have gone into over-drive since he came back. She can't keep from rubbing at his chest and eyeing him like a nice, juicy steak. That boy is in for quite an evening, once she gets back from patrol tonight.

"Uh, hey, Eve. How've you been?" he asks, his face quickly turning five shades of red when Olivia's hand disappears under the table. I can't help but laugh at his embarassment and take mercy on the poor boy by kicking Olivia sharply in the shin. She hisses in pain and glares at me angrily. "Eve! What the fu--" I kick her again and smirk. "Watch that mouth, Liv. And those hands. You're embarassing your boyfriend," I admonish.

Olivia has the decency to look ashamed and puts her hands on the table in front of her, though it looks like it took some effort. Jack looks grateful and I smile. "So, Liv, have you noticed that a lot of the faculty are missing?" I ask. Her eyes light up and she leans forward. The one thing that never fails to distract her from her libido is gossip.

I love this girl.

"Well," she begins in a hushed tone, "I heard that they're all in that meeting with Mr. Giles. Something about a Big Bad coming? All I know is that Buffy's usually always looks serious, but I've never seen her look so, well, _grave_, before. It's got a lot of us wicked worried." I feel my eyebrows raise at this. "She's freaking?" I ask. Liv nods emphatically. "Totally. It's bad enough that I've heard her saying that she wants Ms. Summers sent somewhere else for a little while. And Buffy wouldn't send her sister away unless it was something really, really bad, right?"

I bite my lip, mulling the information over. Mr. Giles had looked pretty worried when he came to the gym to collect Faith. I open my mouth to speak, but an announcement over the speakers cuts me off.

"Attention all students: Please report to the auditorium immediately. Thank you."

Although Mr. Giles's voice is cool and calm, I can't ignore the knot that's forming in my stomach. Olivia and I exchange knowing, worried glances and stand up. "Jack, can you wait for me in my room?" she asks. Jack can sense the seriousness of the situation and nods. "No problem, baby," he complies, and gives her a brief kiss before leaving. Thank God for obediant men who ask no questions.

The auditorium fills up pretty quickly. The air is filled with the sounds of gossiping slayers. Some are excited, most are worried. We all share the same power, and can all feel the same fear. That intense feeling of something coming.

Mr. Giles approaches the podium, clears his throat and waits patiently for the chatter to die down. Unlike the high school I attended, the voices die down almost immediately. Every girl in this room knows that whatever he's about to say may affect our lives in a very crucial way.

He smiles reassuringly at us before beginning. "Thank you for acting so swiftly, ladies. Your cooperation is very sincerely appreciated. After working in a high school, I can't stress that enough," he says with a light laugh.

"I know that you all feel apprehensive and worried. You're slayers--those instincts are never wrong. And yes, there is something coming. I cannot go into detail about what it is yet, as I do not know. Ms. Rosenburg, Ms. Summers and a coven in England are working diligently to pin-point the threat. But I do know that it's very powerful and very old. And that you, ladies, are the prime target."

Olivia and I reach for each other's hands without looking. Gripping hers in mine doesn't calm my nerves, but it's a tangible reminder that I'm not alone.

Mr. Giles pauses a moment, as though unsure how to proceed. Clearing his throat again, he looks out at us. It's then that I notice that he looks much older than before. His eyes look so sad and worried for us. It's not surprising. He's a Watcher in a room full of slayers. His slayers. And now something wants us dead.

"We have every magikal defense possible surrounding the grounds. Nothing can get in or out without us knowing about it. It would rival the defenses you read about in that dreadful Harry Peters book," he says, and earns a few laughs. His own smile at his goof is strained. "Honestly, there is no place safer for you to be than here. But, in order for us to keep you better guarded, patrols are hereby cancelled until further notice. Buffy Summers and Faith Lehane will oversee them."

This earns a few groans. A lot of the slayers absolutely loved patrolling. I don't know if the love of the kill is due to the ancient knowledge in our blood, or from some fucked-up childhoods, but it was an outlet for a lot of us. Had a bad day? Pound on a vamp for a while.

The look Mr. Giles gives us silences the few displeased girls. "As well as having patrols suspended, you are all to travel in groups. Classes will continue, as well. In case of an up-coming battle, the more prepared, the better. Buffy Summers will also be aiding in your training. Having faced down more than one apocolypse, she's the one to look to right now."

Now we know it's serious. If the Original Slayer herself is stepping in, it's gotta be bad. She's always overseen our classes, but she's rarely ever participated.

"Now, while there is a threat, and I know you all are scared, I want you to understand something: This is not the end. This is not a prophecy of certain death for all of you. Buffy has gone up against the First, and beaten it back. Your teachers have faced The End of the World time and time again, and walked away from it. Because if there is one thing that Evil will never be able to keeo down, or defeat, it's us. And just think, Buffy's faced enemies before with only one other slayer at her side. This time we have all of you."

This time his smile isn't strained. It's one of pure pride. "There is no doubt in my mind that we will be victorious if it does come down to a battle. So, all that being said, take the rest of the day off. And please, no wandering off campus until further notice. I know you're all disappointed that you won't be able to go and 'shake it' at the local club, but just, well, listen to an elder for once in your young lives. You're dismissed."

We stand to leave and I notice that Olivia is still holding my hand tightly. "Are you okay?" I ask her. She looks up at me, eyes wide and fearful. "Yeah," she lies. "I just... I'm gonna go see Jack for a little bit, okay? Can you, um, can you..."

"I'll go to the gym for a few hours, okay?"

Olivia relaxes and smiles gratefully before hugging me tightly. "Thank you," she says before walking away. I can't help but feel a bit jealous that she can take her stress out pleasurably. Lucky wench.

Thankfully I'm still in the sweats I wore to Faith's class, so I'm dressed for a workout anyway. I'm surprised to find that the gym is empty. I figured with no club to work off the tension, that most of the slayers would prefer to lift something heavy or hit something. I guess everyone has a boyfriend or girlfriend to take their frustrations out on. Lucky them, right?

I bandage my fists, make my way over to one of the punching bags and start wailing on the thing. I had thought that pounding on this sack would lessen the tension, frustration and fear, but if anything, it increases. Maybe it's because there'll be no satisfaction when I'm through with it. It won't turn into dust or bleed or die. It'll just stay there, waiting for the next person to punch the crap out of it.

Pretty soon I'm working up quite a sweat. My short hair is sticking to my forehead and I can feel the sweat dripping down my neck and back. My arms and fists are screaming for reprieve but I figure that whatever wants me dead probably wouldn't give me a time-out, so I should get used to pushing myself. When my body starts aching terribly, I push myself harder, finding my second wind.

Out in the field, if I started to lag another slayer would jump in to help me out. Maybe I won't have any help when the enemy comes. What if it kills everyone else? What if it kills those girls I talked to in the cafeteria? What if it kills Olivia?

A fear I've never experianced before grips my heart and my blows falter for a moment before gaining momentum.

It's not just me or the other people in my class that are in danger. My best friend could be killed. I'd known her since we were little. I couldn't lose her.

I let out something between a sob and a scream and find myself punching the bag in front of me as hard as I can. I hear metal snap and see it fly away from me, hitting the wall before thumping onto the ground.

I stare at it, wide-eyed, surprised at my outburst before falling to my knees, utterly exhausted.

"Damn, E. Bit pissed?"

I look up to see Faith smirking at me, one eyebrow cocked in amusement. But behind the warmth in her eyes I can see a hint of concern. I wipe the sweat from my face and nod, panting slightly. "Yeah. Just... Venting, I guess," I supply lamely. To my surprise, she kneels in front of me and reaches out to take my hands. I feel my pulse speed up ridiculously and wonder for a moment if I'm going to faint.

Faith studies my hands with deepening concern, and I look down to see what's worrying her. I frown when I notice a red stain spreading on the ace bandages on my knuckles. Damn. How hard was I hitting that bag?

She's tender as she removes the wrappings, revealing my torn skin underneath. "Oh," I murmur, flexing my fingers and cringing as it pulls at the wounds. She's careful as she inspects the damage, her full lips pursed in the most adorable way.

"I guess I got a little carried away," I say. Faith nods, running her fingers lightly over the bloodied mess that was once my knuckles. "I know the feeling," she mutters. She tugs me to my feet and motions for me to follow her.

I follow her to her bag, where she takes out a First Aid kit. She smirks and shrugs as she opens it. "Figured I should start carrying one around for my classes," she explains. She takes out a bottle of iodine and some bandages and sets to work. I try to stay still and quiet as she cleans the cuts and bandages them.

"You know how to patch someone up pretty well," I say. She smiles a bit bitterly. "In our line of work, it's a necessity. Trust me, by the end of the year, you'll know how to do this, too." I feel my stomach roll with fear and bite my lip anxiously. "If I make it to the end of the year," I mutter, my voice sounding raspy. Crap. I think I'm gonna cry.

Faith looks up at me sharply, her brown eyes locking onto my own and holding them. I couldn't look away if I wanted to. She grips my hands tightly, though still somehow able to be mindful of the cuts.

"You're not going to die."

Her voice is confident and harsh and certain. I can feel the tears rising behind my eyes and blink them back. I don't want to be weak in front of her. "I knew when I was activated that a slayer doesn't have a very long life-span. I've heard that Buffy is the oldest one in history, actually. It's just... You never really think about it, you know? I guess I figured that because there's so many of us now that we'd be safe. That all the other slayers died because they were alone. But at that last battle, tons of them died. And now another big bad is coming, so big and so bad that you guys are worried. And I don't... I don't..."

I falter, the words getting caught in my throat, because a cry is working its way up at the same time. I let out a choked sob and quickly pull my hands away from Faith to cover my face in embarassment. "I'm sorry! I don't mean to be all weepy, but--"

I choke back another sob as Faith gently pries my hands away from my face. I can only imagine how I must look. My eyes red and puffy, my body shaking from barely slipping into hysterics. "What if it kills Olivia? Or you?" I take a deep, shuddering breath, feeling my stomach contract with another sob. "Faith," I say, and I feel her hands tighten over my own, "I don't wanna die."

And then, to my shame, my face crumples and I break down completely.

I feel Faith cup my face in her hands, but I can't bring myself to look at her. I'm embarassed and scared.

"Eve, look at me."

I open my eyes, her face momentarily blurry from the tears escaping them. I feel her thumbs wipe my tears away and see that she is utterly serious.

"You will not die."

She nods, as though to confirm that her words are truth. "Yes, slayers died. But that doesn't mean that any will this time. We still don't know what's coming. And you have very powerful people protecting you. Not to mention that _you are a slayer. _Whatever's coming, you were born to beat it. If it comes down to a fight, we'll kick this thing's ass back to hell and have one hell of a celebration afterwards."

She smoothes my short hair back and smiles a bit. "We will beat this thing, Eve. We're gonna _live._" I look at her, still feeling unsure. "What if we don't?" I ask, my voice hesitant. Faith shrugs. "Then we don't. B died and went to heaven. I figure we'd go there," she says as though it's no big deal.

She lets her hands slip down to my throat and then around to my neck, which she massages gently. "So relax, E. Everything's five by five," she murmurs softly. I close my eyes and l let her sooth me, thankful for the comfort. I let my head slip forward until my forehead is resting against hers. She makes no move to back away, and I find this encouraging.

"Did it really mean nothing to you?" I ask, hating how soft and small my voice sounds.

Her hands stop their massage, and I can feel her tense for a moment. "Eve, this is dangerous ground we're walking on," she warns. I sniff and shake my head a bit. "We might die in a few weeks. There might not be any ground to walk on," I remind her.

She's silent for a few moments. "Faith, just tell me the truth, please. If it meant nothing, then I'll never bring it up again. But, if it meant something then please, please, just tell me. If I'm alone in whatever I'm feeling, if you don't reciprocate than just tell me and--"

I'm silenced when Faith's full lips press against my own. They're soft, but firm. They simply rest against mine for a moment before she pulls away and kisses the corner of my mouth, then my jaw up to my ear, and my eyes. She pulls away and I open my eyes to see her brown ones staring back at me, unreadable.

I open my mouth to speak again, but she silences me with another kiss before pulling me onto her lap and crushing me to her. The feeling of being in Faith's arms is one I'll never be able to describe. It's safety and chaos, security and abandonment. It's feeling so powerful and utterly helpless at the same time.

"Your room," she rasps against my throat, which she's busy biting and marking as her own. I attempt to think, and remember that Liv is in our room, finding solace in Jack. "Olivia and Jack are there," I say, and moan as she bites down on my pulse-point.

"Mine then," she says. Her voice is husky and I find myself more excited at the sound of it. After taking a moment to disentangle ourselves, she grabs her bag, as well as my hand, and leads me out of the gym.

We walk across the school grounds to where the faculty lives. They each have their own apartment, and we arrive at Faith's shortly. She fumbles with her keys for a moment before finally getting the door open. I barely have time to take in any of her place before I'm pulled into her bedroom. She slams the door shut before shoving me against it and taking my shirt off more quickly than my eyes could follow.

I don't know how, but I somehow wind up on my back on her bed and feel the mattress dip as Faith jumps onto it, straddling me. She grins cockily, one eyebrow lifted. "You ready?" she asks.

I barely have time to reply before she captures my lips with her own.


	4. Author's Note

Just a brief author's note:

One reviewer brought up a good question: Faith and Eve's ages. Faith is 24, Eve is 22. And yes, the name 'Eve' is a bit biblical. I wanted her to be Faith's temptation, seeing as how their affair could cost her her career and possibly them both expelled from Slayer Central.

Thanks!


End file.
